Fed Acq 101
Speaker: Sterling Whitehead
What does Sterling do?
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Contract for goods and services
Write RFPs and RFQs
Translate rocket science into everyday talk
Negotiate sole source contracts
Monitor contractors
Modify contracts as necessary
Train a lot on DAU and the Internet
What is Acquisition?
It's not what you think.
2 Sides
Civilian
Military
The FAR
• Federal Acquisition Regulation
• The Good Book
• Praise be to the FAR
4 Guiding Principles of the FAR
1. Satisfy the customer in terms of cost, quality, and timeliness of
the delivered product
2. Minimize administrative operating costs
3. Conduct business with integrity, fairness, and openness
4. Fulfill public policy objectives
FAR Layout
• Parts 1-51: Processes and procedures
• Part 52: Clauses
• Part 53: Forms
FAR Councils
Civilian Agency Acquisition
Council (CAA Council)
Defense Acquisition
Regulations Council (DAR
Council)
Our Training
Federal Acquisition Institute
(FAI)
Defense Acquisition
University (DAU)
Career Certifications
Federal Acquisition Certificate
in Contracting (FAC-C)
Defense Acquisition
Workforce Improvement Act
(DAWIA)
• FAC-C Level I
• FAC-C Level II
• FAC-C Level III
• DAWIA Level I
• DAWIA Level II
• DAWIA Level III
DAWIA Job Fields
1. Auditing
2. Business, Cost Estimating, and Financial Management
3. Contracting
4. Facilities Engineering
5. Industrial/Contract Property Management
6. Information Technology
7. Life Cycle Logistics
8. Production, Quality and Manufacturing
9. Program Management
10.Purchasing
11.Systems Planning, Research, Development and Engineering - Program Systems
Engineering
12.Systems Planning, Research, Development and Engineering - Science and
Technology Manager
13.Systems Planning, Research, Development and Engineering - Systems Engineering
14.Test and Evaluation
Acquisition Process
1. Acquisition Planning
2. Contract Formation
3. Contract Administration
Acquisition Process
1. Acquisition Planning
a.Determines customer needs
b.Figures out an acquisition strategy
c.Performs market research
d.Sees how much commercial markets can help
e.Looks at socioeconomic requirements
f. Picks the best contract type
Acquisition Process
1. Contract Formation
a.Publicizes requirements
b.Evaluates offers received
c.Makes the award
Contract Administration
1. Contract Administration
a.Right time
b.Right quality
c.Right quantity
d.Right price
e.Assesses and corrects contractor
f. Pay contractor
g.Modify contract
h.Terminate contract
3 Main Methods of Acquisition
1. Simplified Acquisition Procedures
2. Contracting by Negotiation
3. Sealed Bidding
Contract Types
• Fixed Price
• Cost Reimburseable
• Others
Contract Types
• Fixed Price
o Firm Fixed Price
o Fixed Price with Economics Price Adjustment
o Fixed Price with Redetermination
o Fixed Price Incentive
o Fixed Price with Award Fee
o Firm Fixed Price, Level of Effort Term
Contract Types
• Cost Reimburseable
o Cost and Cost Sharing
o Cost Plus Incentive Fee
o Cost Plus Award Fee
o Cost Plus Fixed Fee
Contract Types
• Others
o Indefinite Delivery
o Time and Material
o Labor Hour
o Letter Contract
Sterling's Favorite Things
Sterling's Favorite Definition
Best Value
The expected outcome of an acquisition that, in the
Government’s estimation, provides the greatest overall benefit
in response to the requirement. (FAR 2.101).
Sterling's Favorite Sites
My Favorite Sites
• Acquisition.gov
• Acquisition Community Connection
• Acquipedia
• DAU
• GovLoop
• Twitter
Sterling's Favorite Sentences
“The role of each member of the Acquisition Team is to
exercise personal initiative and sound business judgment in
providing the best value product or service to meet the
customer’s needs. In exercising initiative, Government
members of the Acquisition Team may assume if a specific
strategy, practice, policy or procedure is in the best interests
of the Government and not addressed in the FAR, nor
prohibited by law (statute or case law), Executive order or
other regulation, that the strategy, practice, policy or
procedure is a permissible exercise of authority.”
Sterling's Favorite Paragraph
In short:
If the FAR doesn't preclude it, just do it.
Question for the Audience
From what I've told you, how does federal
contracting differ from state contracting?
Contact Sterling
Sterling Whitehead
sterling.whitehead@gmail.com
Twitter: @swhitehead
AllThingsSterling.posterous.com